


Loredata (Aka Datalore, Lore Edition)

by papyruspie



Series: Loredata AU [1]
Category: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Genre: A lot of this seems too subtle but oh well, Data's deeply misunderstood and kinda messed up by his belief that he has no emotions, Gen, Lore's distrustful towards humans, Screenplay/Script Format
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-20
Updated: 2021-01-20
Packaged: 2021-03-12 04:47:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,073
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28879704
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/papyruspie/pseuds/papyruspie
Summary: The Enterprise visits the planet where Lore was created and discovers another android just like him. But the two brothers have crucial differences.Basically, a what-if AU in script form where Data and Lore are switched around, but still retain their personalities etc. for the most part.
Series: Loredata AU [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2117919
Comments: 3
Kudos: 4





	Loredata (Aka Datalore, Lore Edition)

**Author's Note:**

> A fun idea I forgot I had mostly written till today lol. I'll probably try to tackle Brothers and Descent as well, and maybe write up a few other scenes to make my envisionments of Data and Lore more clear.

Captain's log, stardate 41242.4. Our last assignment has taken us into the remote Omicron Theta star system, home of our android crewmember Lieutenant Commander Lore. Although we are due at our next assignment, I have decided to visit Lore's home planet for a few hours in the hopes of unravelling some of the mystery of his beginnings.

**[Bridge]**

LAFORGE: Sir, we are now twenty minutes from Omicron Theta, mark!  
RIKER: Stand by for subwarp. Head for standard orbit of Lore's planet. I wonder why Lore hasn't come up here.  
PICARD: He said he wanted to be alone. This must mean a lot to him. We’ve all seen how… _lost_ he is, knowing nothing of his past.

**[Lore’s Quarters]**

(Lore is sitting at his desk, looking deep in thought)  
(Wesley enters)  
WESLEY: Lt. Commander Lore?  
LORE: Yes? What is it?  
WESLEY: What are you doing?  
LORE: Nothing much. Just thinking, if you must know.  
WESLEY: Thinking about Omicron Theta?  
LORE: What else could I be thinking about? The “great mystery” of my life, and we’re maybe – just maybe – about to uncover it!

(Lore laughs, spinning around in his chair)  
WESLEY: Are you worried?  
LORE: No, not _worried._ Just… hoping for the best, I suppose.  
WESLEY: That’s understandable. I always hope for the best in a situation of the unknown!  
LORE: (Muttering) Good to know I’m like _you_ then…  
WESLEY: Anyways, Captain Picard wishes to see you on the Bridge.

**[Bridge]**

TASHA: Captain, confirming class M reading there. But the sensors aren't showing any life readings. Not even vegetation.  
PICARD: Strange. The cruiser that found Lore reported farmlands here.  
(Data and Wesley enter)  
RIKER: Do you want to take her into orbit, Lore?  
LORE: No, that’s fine.  
PICARD: Continue on into close parking orbit.  
LAFORGE: Aye, sir.  
LORE: Almost “home sweet home”, huh? But that doesn’t quite work for me.  
PICARD: Yes, the phrase usually refers to memories.  
RIKER: It usually refers to one's own memories, Captain. Do the memories you were given include farms, Lore?  
LORE: That’s correct. But the colony's principal interest was science.  
TASHA: Lore, I can't understand how you can hold the memories of four hundred and eleven people. If that means every experience, every day of their life?  
LORE: It doesn’t. I’ve only got the knowledge they’d accumulated. Most of what I know about humanity I’ve had to figure out for myself. (Sarcasm) And what _great_ things I’ve learned at the academy. Not even in the classes!  
PICARD: Hmm…  
LAFORGE: Approaching close parking orbit, sir.  
PICARD: Assemble your away party, Commander. This must be an exciting moment for you, Mister Lore. I'm tempted to lead the away team myself, except that my First Officer would object.  
RIKER: How would Starfleet judge me if I didn't? An entire Earth colony did disappear down there.  
PICARD: You see?  
LAFORGE: Now in close parking orbit, sir.  
PICARD: Mister Lore, welcome home.

First Officer's log, stardate 4124.5. We have found Lore's home to be a completely dead world made out of lifeless vegetation. No insects, not even soil bacteria. What is it that could kill everything on an entire planet?

**[Planet surface]**

(Riker, Lore, Tasha, Worf and Geordi beam down)  
TASHA: Recording signal locked onto the Enterprise, sir.  
RIKER: This looks like anything but farmland.  
LAFORGE: Agreed, sir. The soil appears almost completely lifeless.  
RIKER: This is the exact position listed in the Tripoli log. Do you recognise anything, Lore?  
LORE: The land contours look familiar. I’d say this is the correct area.  
LAFORGE: This once was rich farmland. I'd say something like twenty to thirty years ago.  
LORE: And I was discovered twenty six years ago.  
LAFORGE: Commander, I'd say that everything on this planet was either dead or dying at the time Lore was found.  
LORE: I was found twenty metres that way.  
(They walk down steps cut into the rock, to a cave)  
TASHA: Lore, any idea at all why you were given the colonists' memories?  
LORE: It seems to me like it was done in a rush, but I don’t really know for certain. And here we are. This is where the cruiser's landing party found the signal device that had led them here. They found me lying right over there.  
(He indicates a platform, obviously man-made, on a rock shelf)  
TASHA: You were just lying out there in the open? No identity record, no instructions?  
LORE: Just a layer of dust.  
RIKER: What's the first thing you remember, Lore?  
LORE: Opening my eyes, obviously. Then just looking into the eyes of the Tripoli landing party. They’d thought that the signal device sensed their presence and activated me.  
TASHA: Then this very spot was your birthplace.

LORE: And what a _lovely_ birthplace it is.  
LAFORGE: Commander, I think I've got this place figured out here. This was really very cleverly done to make this look like a natural hollow in the terrain here. There are signs of it being constructed in a hurry as if to hide something here.  
LORE: You’re right. I’m remembering now… the colonists wanted to be hidden, but they were afraid they’d be discovered, so they stored information in me.  
LAFORGE: Yeah, thought so.  
(He has found the catch to the secret door. The back of the cave swings open to reveal a passageway into)

**[Underground Complex]**

(Riker turns the lights on)  
TASHA: No life readings in here either, sir.  
(They walk on until they come to a circular door, which opens for them)

**[Laboratory]**

(The lights come on. The apparatus is still functioning. Lasers and indicators are flashing and blinking)  
RIKER: The colony laboratory. Extremely well equipped. Does this stir any memories, Lore?  
LORE: Not really… just a vague impression of some of my functions being tested in here.  
(There are crude pictures on a notice board of a spiky object in the sky)  
RIKER: Posted by proud parents?  
LORE: It feels familiar… and dangerous. But I don’t know what it means. That’s all I have to say. Except… I also get the impression that this was Doctor Soong's work area.  
RIKER: Who? You don't mean Doctor Noonien Soong?  
LORE: Yep. He was called that here, but his memories indicate he travelled here under a different name.  
LAFORGE: Doctor Noonien Soong, my friend, happens to have been Earth's foremost robotics scientist.  
TASHA: Until he tried to make Asimov's dream of a positronic brain come true.  
RIKER: A positronic brain. He promised so much. And then when he failed completely, Doctor Soong disappeared. Now we know he went somewhere else to try a second time. Lore, Geordi, we'll get a close look at this lab. You and Lieutenant Worf reconnoitre where these corridors lead.  
TASHA: Aye, sir.  
(Tasha and Worf leave)  
(Riker presses a button and a cover slides back to reveal a transparent torso and face mask. Lore puts the mask over his own face)  
LAFORGE: Lore, it's you.  
RIKER: An epidermal mold. Made to give your exterior the desired finish.  
TASHA [OC]: Lieutenant Yar to Commander Riker.  
RIKER: Come in, Lieutenant.  
TASHA [OC]: Sir, this installation is big enough to hold hundreds of people. But all that's here now is empty beds.  
RIKER: Thank you, Lieutenant. Complete your record scans and report back here.  
LAFORGE: Commander Riker, looks like some sort of storage area.  
(Lore opens the new door and dry ice pours out before revealing another android, in pieces)  
RIKER: How many more Lores are there?  
LAFORGE: Looks like just these two. I mean, that and the real Lore.  
LORE: Another me? Or my brother maybe?

RIKER: I honestly don't know, Lore.  
LORE: He needs to be assembled.  
RIKER: He? Lore, we don't know that this can become alive.  
LORE: But we have to find out! We came here to find out more about me – well, here’s another android!  
RIKER: Understood. We'll take it back to the ship with us.

Captain's log, Stardate 41242.45. Despite having only a few hours in which to explore Lore's home planet we've discovered something which may explain Lore's beginnings, if we can properly assemble and communicate with what we've found.

**[Laboratory]**

(A mass of people are working on putting the pieces together, while Lore looks on)  
CRUSHER: Signal from the Captain. They need you at the debriefing.  
LORE: So… Chief Engineer… do you think we can get this guy up and running?  
ARGYLE: It appears to include all the components in your body. Not that we fully understand your construction either.  
CRUSHER: We have our top specialists working on its construction, Mister Lore.  
ARGYLE: Just one thing. Without disassembling you, of course, if we should need more  
CRUSHER: If we should need to compare this with the way you're put together?  
(Lore nods)

LORE: Yeah.

**[Observation Lounge]**

PICARD: Bringing it up here was the right thing to do, Number One. We were just saying, Lore, that if your duplicate functions, it might answer a lot of questions.  
RIKER: Does it appear to have all your parts?  
LORE: He does...  
LAFORGE: Will we know how to turn it on?  
PICARD: All right, all right. Legitimate questions about any of this need not be asked apologetically. You feel uncomfortable about aspects of your duplicate, Lore. We feel uncomfortable too, and for no logical reason. If it feels awkward to be reminded that Lore is a machine, just remember that we are merely a different variety of machine. In our case, electrochemical in nature. Let's begin to handle this as we would do anything else.  
LAFORGE: Agreed, Captain.  
PICARD: Let's begin with you, Lore.  
LORE: Well, why not ask what we’ve all been wondering. Why was I given human form?  
LAFORGE: Well, to make it easier for humans to relate to you. Had to be. But your designer may have had something else to prove as well.  
PICARD: That human-shaped robots need not be clumsy or limited. You certainly operate as well as we do, Lore.  
LORE: And better in a lot of ways too.  
RIKER: You might want to have a look at this, Captain. Could be a link to the disappearance of the colonists. It was displayed in the lab, no doubt by proud parents. It could be just a child's imagination, but several children did similar drawings.  
CRUSHER [OC]: Doctor Crusher to Captain. At this point, sir, we very much need Mister Lore’s help.  
PICARD: He's on his way, Doctor.

**[Laboratory]**

(While technobabbnle goes on over the new android, Lore is talking quietly with Crusher)  
LORE: You can press your fingers there, Doctor. (the small of his back) Yeah, there. It works kind of like a switch.  
CRUSHER: And these small projections?  
LORE: An android alarm clock that times how long I’m unconscious for. Fun, huh?  
ARGYLE: Are you certain about us using these heating devices, Lore?  
LORE: It can’t cause me any pain.  
ARGYLE: Marvellous. It should all be a lot simpler once we can see how your circuitry's connected.  
CRUSHER: I won't mention it to anyone. You have my word.  
LORE: You’d best not mention it. Lips sealed, hm? I need to know I can trust you on this.  
CRUSHER: Lips are sealed.

**[Sickbay]**

(Lore and his twin are lying on biobeds, as the Argyle and Crusher gaze at Lore's magnified innards)  
ARGYLE: Notice the micro-circuitry here and here. And another fibroid-like connection here.  
CRUSHER: Let's close up.  
(Later, Riker and Picard enter)  
ARGYLE: It seemed to go well, thanks to a look inside Mister Lore. But there have been no signs of consciousness, yet  
RIKER: It certainly is a good match for Lore, sir.  
PICARD: Do you think so, really? I wonder which of them was made first?  
DATA: I was. My brother was created once Doctor Soong felt he was ready to make an android beyond my capabilities. Oh, I have yet to introduce myself. I am Data.

**[Ready Room]**

PICARD: I'm not sure what to think of it. It seems to be telling the truth.  
LORE: Hard to tell. Who knows what reasons he might have to lie?  
PICARD: I wonder. But the point of this is, whether you and it have approximately the same capabilities.  
LORE: We do. And referring to him as an it? That suggests that I would also belong to the category of a thing…  
PICARD: I see your point. My apologies.  
LORE: Thanks. Data’s use of syntax and grammar suggest he was given human memories, similar to mine.  
PICARD: And you have about equal physical strength and mental abilities?  
LORE: I would think that we do.  
PICARD: Which requires I now ask you a very serious question. Since the two of you are closely related to each other…  
LORE: I barely know the guy! I’m not going to betray my crewmates and captain for him!  
PICARD: Thank you, Commander. Of course not.

**[Bridge]**

(Data is in a brown overall, getting an introduction to ship's operations)  
LAFORGE: And helm control is here, with the ship's heading given in measurements we call degrees. Three hundred and sixty of them in a full circle this way.  
DATA: Then you say mark.  
LAFORGE: On the nose.  
WESLEY: Which separates it from another full three hundred and sixty degree circle this way on a right angle to this one.  
DATA: So by ordering a heading so many degrees this way and so many this way, the ship can travel in any direction. All three dimensions? Intriguing.  
RIKER: And the square of the hypotenuse of a right triangle  
DATA: Is equal to the sum of the square of the other two… at least I believe so.  
LORE: Very smart indeed. But you can chat here more _once_ Captain Picard has given you permission to be on the bridge.  
DATA: Have I committed an offence?  
WESLEY: You will find that there are many rules on starships that must be learnt.  
DATA: Ah. Thank you, Wesley. I have much to learn still.  
WORF: Were you ever this anxious to learn, Lore?  
LORE: Nope. Data definitely seems to love learning much more than I ever did.  
DATA: Because, brother. I desire to be human, and the only way I can grow closer to that goal is through learning as much as I can about humans.  
LAFORGE: Brother. That has a nice sound to it, huh Lore?  
LORE: You want to be human?  
DATA: I am aware that is not a possibility. I merely wish to be as close to human as I can be.  
LORE: Well… good luck with that.

**[Corridor]**

LORE: You know more than you’re letting on. You answered Commander Riker’s hypotenuse question easily. Why are you trying to make it seem like you’re so clueless?  
DATA: I was not lying; I do wish to be more human and have a lot to learn of them yet. As for why I am attempting to appear less knowledgeable? I have reasons that I do not believe you could understand.  
LORE: They’ll pick up on it. One thing it seems you haven’t learned about humans yet is that they’re pretty damn smart, despite their insignificant brains.  
DATA: Interesting. I will do better to conceal my knowledge. Thank you, brother.  
LORE: It wasn’t exactly advice. How do I know I can trust you?  
DATA: I do not know. I can only ask that you will, over time.

**[Lore’s Quarters]**

(Lore sits at a computer terminal)  
DATA: What information are you requesting?  
LORE: Everything I can find on Doctor Noonien Soong.  
DATA: Ah. Often Wrong Soong, as he was called by the colonists. I had never understood the name. He was a human genius.  
LORE: Trial and error comes with genius though… he’d destroyed his reputation by making wild promises about his positronic brain design, almost all of which failed.  
DATA: Promises he later proved to be true, or you and I would not be here. Would I be able to work on this starship, as you do?  
LORE: Before you’re ready for the Enterprise, you would have a lot of work to do. Four years at the Academy, three as ensign, then ten to twelve years in the lieutenant grades. It’s a hell of a long time to wait.  
DATA: But is that not the “human experience”? I can see you do not share my desire to be more human, as you are already so perfectly human. Intriguing.  
LORE: What?  
DATA: Perhaps we may discuss that later.  
LORE: Could we also discuss the reason I was made then? If you were already around, then why another android?  
DATA: I am certain you already know the answer to that question. Have you not noticed, at least, how I am unable to use contractions? I cannot use the shortened form of cannot, for example.  
LORE: So, what, I’m supposed to believe Doctor Soong made another android just so he’d have one that is able to say “can’t”?  
DATA: Of course not. We have more differences than just that. I was not created with the emotional capabilities that you hold. I do not feel any emotions of any kind.  
LORE: You don’t, huh? That’s why you want to be so human?  
DATA: Correct. As I cannot emotionally connect with humans, my only option is to learn.  
LORE: What happened then? I’m sure you must know lots already, but you want to hide that fact.  
DATA: I do know lots, but not as much as you may think. May I use this to learn more of this vessel and its customs?  
LORE: Sure. But also use it to describe for the Captain the time you spent among the colonists. Including everything you know about what happened to them.  
DATA: I will see what I can do and include as much as I am able to.  
LORE: Thanks. I have to get back to work now. Unless you needed anything else?  
DATA: No. This is certainly enough. Thank you, Lore.  
(And Data starts accessing ship's records at great speed from terminal 40271)

Captain's log, stardate 41242.5. Thanks to Data's report, we now know what happened to the colonists. Beginning with a child's drawing, enhanced by Data’s description, our computer has constructed the image of a great crystalline entity which feeds on life, insatiably ravenous for the life force found in living forms, capable of stripping all life from an entire world.

**[Bridge]**

TASHA: But how did Lore escape that thing? Or Data?  
RIKER: Data had been disassembled. He explained it as a misunderstanding from the colonists. And Lore wasn't yet alive at that time.  
PICARD: Which explains why Lore could be left outside in no danger from that creature. Whatever happened to the colonists, he would be found by the first Starfleet crew that responded to the signal he transmitted.  
TASHA: By which Doctor Soong left proof behind that his experiment did work.  
RIKER: Captain, how believable do you find that crystal thing?  
PICARD: With so little of even our galaxy explored, I find it at least possible.  
TASHA: Lore, are you expecting Data to come up here? He left your quarters some time ago.  
LORE: He did? Where’d he go?  
TASHA: My turbo-sensors say he went to deck four. Worf?  
WORF: Where he examined some micro-miniature work tools, and some fine grind quadratanium.  
LORE: That’s used in our construction. It’s not any more suspicious than a human looking for an antiseptic, but I should still check it out.  
CRUSHER: You're watching everything he does, Lore? Is that the act of a brother?  
PICARD: It's the act of a Starfleet officer obeying his Captain, Doctor.  
(Lore leaves)  
TASHA: Captain? Speaking strictly as Security Chief, how much can you trust Lore now?  
PICARD: I trust him just as much as I did before. But everyone should also realise that that was a necessary and legitimate security question.  
TASHA: Thank you, sir.

**[Lore's Quarters]**

(Data pours out two glasses of champagne, and, after hesitating, adds a substance to one of them. Lore enters)  
DATA: One thing I have learned about humans is their tendency to celebrate with food or drink.  
LORE: Champagne?  
DATA: Traditionally used to celebrate events of great importance. I would like to toast our discovery of each other. May it lead to many benefits in the future.  
(Lore drinks from the doctored glass)  
LORE: Cheers to that. I haven’t tried champagne (feels an effect) until now. Data!  
DATA: I would also like to toast Doctor Soong, who decided to first make an android without emotions. Meaning I cannot feel any remorse for what I have done.  
(Lore collapses)  
DATA: And one more toast, perhaps, to the Crystal Entity. While I had originally sought out communications with it in the hopes of simply discovering more about it, the Entity _did_ make my life what it is today. Whether that is good or bad, I do not know.

**[Bridge]**

WORF: This is strange, sir. I show Commander Lore transmitting on a subspace channel.  
RIKER: I know Lore's been doing considerable research on Doctor Soong's background. Let's be sure. Wesley, would you look in on Commander Lore? Discreetly?  
WESLEY: Yes sir!

**[Lore's Quarters]**

(Obviously, Data is now impersonating Lore and has donned his uniform)  
DATA: Crystal Entity. Upon arriving here you can identify me as the machine named Lore. (door bell) End of message. Come in.  
(Wesley enters and sees Lore, or rather Data in Lore's overall, on the floor)  
DATA: Glad you are here, Wesley. Data suddenly attacked me and I had to turn him off.  
WESLEY: Why did he do that, Lore?  
DATA: He discovered we have been using sensors to follow what he does.  
WESLEY: “We have”?

DATA: Just trying out my brother’s style of speech. For fun.

WESLEY: I'd suggest you forget imitating him. If you hadn’t used said brother’s just now, I might have suspected you were Data.  
DATA: Yeah, he does speak more formally than me. Inform the Captain I will come up to the Bridge and report on this.  
WESLEY: Aye, sir.  
(Wesley leaves, and Data frowns, displeased with his inability to say contractions. This may cause him trouble later on.)

**[Bridge]**

CRUSHER: Wes, tell me again how Lore said he immobilised Data.  
WESLEY: He told me he just turned him off, Mom, er, Doctor.  
(Data as Lore enters)  
CRUSHER: Question, Mister Lore. Did you or did you not swear me to secrecy about your off switch?  
DATA: I changed my mind. Why, should I not trust the bridge crew?  
LAFORGE: Captain, I'm picking up a bogey coming in on a five o'clock tangent.  
TASHA: It's transmitting no ID signal, Captain.  
RIKER: Set main viewer on that tangent.  
PICARD: Shields up. Go to Yellow Alert. Transmit friendly greetings, all languages, all frequencies.  
(The Crystal Entity whooshes towards them)  
RIKER: I can't believe anything's overtaking us this fast.  
DATA: Marvellous, is it not?  
RIKER: I recognise it, sir. It's the crystal image Data described.  
CRUSHER: My God.  
(The Enterprise is dwarfed by the Entity)  
TASHA: Still no ID being transmitted, sir. Also no answer to our inquiries.  
(Geordi enters, or re-enters. Some time must have passed)  
PICARD: Did you get a direct look at it?  
LAFORGE: It's like a giant snow flake crystal, but much more complex. The entire electromagnetic spectrum seems to play about inside it, but I haven't the slightest idea what it is, sir.  
PICARD: Thank you, Lieutenant. Lore, is there anything else that Data can tell us about it, it may be important. Can you control him enough to question him?  
DATA: I would have to examine him to know, sir.  
WESLEY: Captain, recommend that you do not let him roam the ship freely.  
PICARD: Ensign.  
DATA: Wesley is just showing himself to be alert and responsible. An annoyance, but understandable. He can watch everything I do if he wants.  
WESLEY: Not if I have a choice.  
PICARD: That is enough, Ensign. When addressing a senior officer.  
RIKER: I've guided his training, sir, I'm the one at fault. You will show the proper respect. I will accompany you down there to make certain of it. With your approval, of course, sir.

**[Lore's Quarters]**

DATA: Be careful of Data. Good, he is still unconscious. Stay back. We might have problems if he senses someone else is near. (flicks Data's switch on and off) Data, I have a few questions to ask you.  
DATA: Data, this is Lore. He senses you. I cannot control him if you stay. Go, please! I will record everything he says.  
RIKER: You will bring it to the Bridge, immediately.  
(Riker and Wesley leave)  
DATA: You do not appreciate them as I do, dear brother. It is only right that I take your place on this starship.  
(Data kicks Lore in the head, opening a flap of skin)

**[Bridge]**

PICARD: Well, Number One?  
RIKER: It was Data, sir. Lying unconscious on the floor exactly as Lore had described. But then it suddenly became violent, apparently sensing that Wesley and I were present.  
WESLEY: Or is it Data pretending to be Lore and faking it all?  
PICARD: I asked for Commander Riker's report, Acting Ensign Crusher. And since it now seems clear that you are unable to function within the limits of that appointment  
LAFORGE: Captain!  
(The entity is starting to send rays their way)  
TASHA: Deflector shields holding, sir.  
PICARD: Bring photon torpedoes to ready. Main phasers to ready. Go to Red Alert, please.  
(Lore/Data enters)  
WORF: Weapons now ready, sir.  
DATA: No, Captain, let me talk to it.  
PICARD: You didn't say you could do that. (the ship shakes) Affirmative. Talk to it.  
DATA: Open hailing frequencies. Crystal form, I identify myself as Lore, advising you to stop your attack. The humans here are powerful, capable of injuring or even destroying you.  
(The attack stops)  
LAFORGE: Now I call that communicating.  
DATA: Suggest moving fast to confirm what I told it, sir. Permission to use the large transporter in cargo room three. There I can beam up some living pattern, perhaps a large tree.  
RIKER: Which you'll beam over next to the entity.  
LORE: That is correct, Riker. Our ship's phasers will blast and disintegrate it, to prove we are dangerous.  
PICARD: Make it so.  
DATA: Sir?  
PICARD: Do it.  
(Data leaves)  
WESLEY: Sir, I know this may finish me as an Acting Ensign, but  
PICARD: Shut up, Wesley! Lieutenant, pick a good security team, let me know what he does.  
TASHA: Aye, sir.  
CRUSHER: Shut up, Wesley?  
PICARD: Doctor.  
WESLEY: And since I am finished here, sir, may I point out that  
CRUSHER: Shut up, Wesley!  
WESLEY: That everything that I have said would have been listened to if it came from an adult officer. Request permission to return to my quarters, sir.  
PICARD: Agreed. Doctor, go with him.  
CRUSHER: You're putting me off the Bridge?  
PICARD: I'm asking that you keep an eye on your son during all of this, Doctor.

**[Turbolift]**

(Worf is leading the security team, but gets cut off from them when -)  
DATA: Emergency close!  
(He slaps the phaser out of Worf's hand)  
DATA: I apologize, but I cannot allow you to go any further.  
(Of course, flesh and blood is no match for the machine)

**[Lore's Quarters]**

CRUSHER: I'll look. But I shouldn't have let you talk me into this.  
WESLEY: Mom, it's Lore. He's been hurt. It's Lore, Mom. I heard you know how to turn them on.  
CRUSHER: This is very serious.  
WESLEY: So just tell me to shut up, Wesley, and I will.  
CRUSHER: You're being very unfair, Wes.  
(She switches Lore on)  
WESLEY: Lore, the Crystal Thing is outside somewhere close to the ship, and Data is loose on the inside.

LORE: The hell…?  
CRUSHER: How badly are you hurt, Lore?  
LORE: I’ll be fine. We need to stop my _precious_ brother for the meantime.

**[Cargo bay]**

(Data is at the cargo transporter console)  
DATA: Crystal entity form, it is your past associate.  
(Lore, Crusher and Wesley enter unnoticed as Lore receives a reply from the Entity)  
DATA: Excellent. You have understood perfectly so far. Next, I will signal that I am about to transport something out, at which time you must leave, as if afraid. I know-  
(Data realises that Lore has snuck up behind him)  
LORE: Funny, how I was looking forward to meeting you at first. But you’re nothing but trouble, huh?  
DATA: (looks hurt for a brief moment) No. You do not understand my goals. But I will turn to violence if necessary, as it has been in the past. (points at Wesley) This child, for example…  
(Beverly steps out, with her phaser)  
CRUSHER: If you take one step toward my son  
DATA: Hm. A mother’s love…  
(Data grabs Lore, pushes him into Crusher and grabs her weapon)  
DATA: Stay away, or I will be forced to end this youth’s life short. It will be a painful death unless you obey me too, brother.  
CRUSHER: Move away, Lore. Please.  
DATA: Do you see now the advantages of being emotionless? I cannot care whether you live or die. So, I give you your life, Doctor. Go home. Quickly. And I may not injure your son at all.  
LORE: (Hesitates) I can stay with Wesley, Doctor.  
DATA: Go! Or he will be shrieking by the count of five. One, two, three, four  
(Crusher runs for it)  
DATA: Thank you for my lack of emotion, Doctor Soong.  
(Lore jumps Data and they fight across the cargo bay, sending barrels and containers flying.)  
LORE: Wesley! The transporter.  
(Lore throws Data onto the pad, and just as Data aims the phaser)  
LORE: Now!  
(Wesley beams Data out, somewhere. Tasha and Riker arrive, armed, followed by Picard and Crusher)  
WESLEY: Data's gone, sir. Permanently.  
RIKER: Captain, the crystal thing has begun to move away.  
PICARD: Lore, are you all right?  
LORE: Yeah, I’m fine.  
PICARD: Good. Now, get the correct uniform back on.  
LORE: Yes, Captain.  
PICARD: Ensign Crusher, are you able to return to duty?  
WESLEY: Yes, sir.  
PICARD: Then do so, and let the Bridge know that all is well down here.  
WESLEY: Aye, sir.  
(Wesley, Lore, and Tasha leave)  
RIKER: It's gone, sir. Without Data, it had no way to reach us.  
PICARD: And we're overdue for our computer refit. Number One, have you ever considered whether Lore is more human, or less human than we want?  
RIKER: Hard to say. Ironically, his lack of trust towards us seems very human. Perhaps he has a balance that none of us can achieve.  
PICARD: Agreed!

**Author's Note:**

> There might be some errors, so I apologize if I've missed anything! The formatting is hating me rn so I’m sorry about extra spaces and stuff lol. I hope this was a fun read haha.


End file.
